UberX to charge $1 fee for passenger safety

Uber wants its passengers to know it’s committed to safety — that’s why it’s rolling out a $1 “Safe Rides Fee” on top of all UberX fares in the U.S.

The company said in a blog post that the fee “supports our continued efforts to ensure the safest possible platform for Uber riders and drivers.”

The extra buck will go towards an “industry-leading” background check process, regular motor vehicle checks, driver safety education, the development of safety features in the app and insurance. It will appear as a separate line item on UberX receipts.

UberX, which matches riders with drivers via a smart phone, is among the smartphone-ride companies that have come under heavy pressure to offer more comprehensive safety precautions, such as insurance, after an UberX driver hit and killed 6-year-old Sofia Liu, and injured her mother and brother, in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve. The driver did not have a passenger but allegedly was logged into the Uber system and awaiting fares. Uber, as well as competitor Lyft, recently extended insurance coverage to drivers waiting for fares.

The costs of those added safety measures, though, will be passed on to Uber passengers.